New Years Update and Bulletin From Fr. Robert Miclean – January 1, 2016

Blessed New Year and Many Years! A new year brings with it new opportunities to say “Yes!” to God and “No!” to sin in our daily lives, even moment by moment, as we live in Christ in a spirit of humility and repentance. Today we are called to “repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Without repentance, the change of heart and turning continuously to Christ, there is no life in Him, there is no Christianity. Let this year be the year that you decide to give yourself more fully to Christ by living out your faith and making use of the tools of salvation found only in His holy Church. Behold, Christ makes all things new! “Today the waters of the Jordan are transformed into healing by the coming of the Lord. Today the transgressions of men are washed away by the waters of the Jordan… Today we have been delivered from darkness and illuminated with the light of the knowledge of God. Today the blinding mist of the world is dispersed by the Epiphany of our God. Today the whole creation shines with light from on high. Today error is laid love and the coming of the Master has made for us a way of salvation. Today things above keep feast with things below, and things below commune with things above.”—From “the Great Blessing of the Waters”

Christ is born! Glorify Him! Fr. Robert+

THIS WEEK AT HOLY ARCHANGELS (all services at our church home—47 Spa Rd):           

  • Today: Pre-school aged children on up are invited to come to Sunday School during Trapeza
  • Friday, Jan. 6, 10 a.m., Great Feast of the Holy Theophany HOLY THEOPHANY followed by quick trapeza, annual Great Blessing of the Waters at the City Dock. (n.b., Thurs. is a strict fast day)!
  • Sat, Jan., 7, 6 p.m., Great Vespers, Confession following
  • Sun Jan. 8, 9:30 a.m. Hours, 10 a.m., Divine Liturgy, Baptism of Adelina Miclean. Trapeza follows

Looking Ahead: Mark your Calendars!

  • Wed, January 18, (weekly), 6:45 p.m., New Bible Study Begins:The Book of Galatians through the Eyes of the Early Church.” Share the opportunity to learn & grow in faith with your friends!

Go Fund Me Campaign: Please share this opportunity with family, friends to keep Holy Archangels going and growing. Sharing via email and through social media makes a big difference. We need your help!

House Blessings: Friday begins the season of house blessings. The faithful invite Christ into our homes to set them aside, to bless them, and pray God to make them places manifesting Christ’s light, peace, truth, and love, harbors in the midst of the storm of the world, places of refuge for our souls. Please contact Fr. Robert with two suggested days and times for a house blessing as soon as possible. He will do his best to accommodate you (n.b., Mondays, his day off, he is generally not available).

Confession and Reception: In keeping with OCA Guidelines, it is the discipline at Holy Archangels to practice monthly confession. If you wish to receive Communion and a month has passed and you have not made confession for good reason, or are visiting, please talk with Fr. Robert prior to the service and before approaching the Chalice to ask for a blessing to receive.

 

Prayer Requests:

  • That God may grow our Mission “in spirit and in numbers…”
  • For God’s financial provision for our Mission & ACM (Annapolis College Ministry);
  • Forgiveness, memory eternal: Ryan, Gardner, victims of the St. Mark Cathedral terrorist attack.
  • Metropolitan Isaiah of Georgia, Archpriest George, Rdr. John, Gov. Hogan, Benedict, Daniel, Mat. Janet, Eric, Daniel, Noah, Norm, Svetlana, Alex, Gary, Timothy, Gabriela and the child she bears, Cecilia and the child she bears, the Church in Georgia & Romania as they address the relativism of the West, speaking the truth in love, our persecuted brethren in the Middle East, a peaceful resolution in Syria.

Troparion             (Resurrection) Tone 3

Let the heavens rejoice! //Let the earth be glad! //For the Lord has shown strength with His arm.

He has trampled down death by death. // He has become the first born of the dead.

He has delivered us from the depths of hell, // and has granted to the world//great mercy.

Troparion                         (of the Feast) Tone 1           

Enthroned on high with the Eternal Father and Thy divine Spirit,

O Jesus, Thou didst will to be born on earth of the unwedded handmaid, ^ thy Mother.

Therefore Thou wast circumcised as an eight-day-old Child.

Glory to Thy most gracious counsel; // glory to Thy ^ dispensation;//

glory to Thy condescension, O only Lover of man!

Troparion            (to St Basil) Tone 1           

Thy proclamation has gone out into all the earth, //which was divinely taught by hearing thy voice.

Thou didst expound the nature of creatures // and didst ennoble the manners of men.

O venerable Father of royal priesthood,// entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved!

Troparion               (Angels) Tone 4

O Commanders of the heavenly hosts, // we who are unworthy beseech you:

by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory,

and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you://

Deliver us from all harm, for you are the Commanders of the Powers on high!

Kontakion            (to St Basil)            Tone 4

Thou wast revealed as the sure foundation of the Church,

granting all mankind a lordship which cannot be taken away,//

sealing it with thy precepts, O venerable Basil, revealer of heaven.

Kontakion            (of the Feast) Tone 3

The Lord of all accepts to be circumcised, //thus, as He is good, He excises the sins of mortal men.

Today He grants the world salvation, // while light-bearing Basil, high priest of our Creator,//

rejoices in heaven as a divine initiate of Christ.

Kontakion            (Angels) Tone 2

Commanders of God’s armies//and ministers of the divine glory, // princes of the bodiless Angels

and guides of mankind;//ask for what is good for us, and for great mercy,//

O Supreme Commanders of the Bodiless Hosts.